James Gurney

This daily weblog by Dinotopia creator James Gurney is for illustrators, plein-air painters, sketchers, comic artists, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find practical studio tips, insights into the making of the Dinotopia books, and first-hand reports from art schools and museums.

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Monday, May 5, 2014

The British painter Solomon J. Solomon (1860-1927) was eternally dissatisfied with his own work. He once destroyed a painting called "Sacred and Profane Love," even after it was accepted and exhibited at the Royal Academy.

The Magazine of Art had praised the painting as "executed in a masterly manner."

"The picture marks the advance of an ambitious and earnest young painter towards his goal....Towering on the summit of a rocky peak stands the Angel of Holiness, full of kindness and full of dignity, sheltering a woman and her child with one wing, while the husband sits below at their feet."

Many artists are their own worst critics and enemies. Hard to believe such a wonderful piece of work might have been destroyed by the artist himself.There is a free version of his book available here : http://www.artgraphica.net/free-art-lessons/oil-painting-book/oil-painting-book.html

I just stumbled on this old newspaper clipping. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/25662796

It seems the painting was cut up and sold as smaller pieces to recoup the costs of creating the original very large painting. So the reason may not have had anything to do with being completely dissatisfied with the painting. That's how i interpreted it anyway.

I'm my own worst critic as well so I can absolutely understand where he was coming from. It's something that I struggle with, but I'm slowly getting better about it.:) Wish that he'd gotten over it before destroying such an amazing piece!